She Quit Her Job As A Merchandiser To Set Up Street Schools To Educate Slum Kids In Mumbai

She Quit Her Job As A Merchandiser To Set Up Street Schools To Educate Slum Kids In Mumbai

When we hear about heinous crimes like rape, we often tend to blame the victims. Some people, who are intelligent enough to analyse the context don’t take recourse to victim blaming but they surely raise their voice against the mentality of the perpetrators of the violence. But how many of us delve deep enough to figure out what pushes them to commit these crimes? What makes them think of women as mere commodities? “Is it their upbringing which needs to be blamed or is it constant class-conflict that needs to be blamed,” Afsana, the founder of Pehchaan Street Schools, asked.

“What left me asking these questions was rooted in the deep sense of fear. After Nirbhaya made the headlines, it left me shaken to the core. Back then I had three of my sisters living in Delhi and what kept me haunting every day, is who’s next! I kept on reading more about such incidents and that disturbed state of mind mostly left me unable to even work. I quit my profession and decided to put in my effort to bring about the change what I wanted to perceive in the society,” Afsana, a resident of Mumbai, said when The Logical Indian spoke to her.

Creating Pehchaan

Afsana started off by beginning to teach children in a small slum right across her residence. “My idea has been extremely simple. I believe, the mentality behind committing these heinous crime traces down to the very formative years. Children are extremely impressionable. If we could provide them with enough guidance during these formative years, we can surely expect the rates of such crimes to decrease in some years down the line,” added Afsana, a tinge of hope ringing in her voice.

Pehchaan has street schools across Delhi, Bihar and Mumbai. It will soon function as a registered NGO, under the name of Pehchaan Live Foundation. Her informal classes gradually branched to street schools, timings being 7 to 9 in the evening. Pehchaan has three branches in Dehri, Bihar and one in Munger as well.

Spreading the light of education

Afsana started teaching the children in the cluster of families living underneath a bridge and began with classes that would only be conducted during the evening. Within six months of conducting classes on a daily basis, she noticed a visible change in the approach of the community members.

The residents of the slums often used to drink and engage in brawls right in front of the area where Afsana used to teach. But, six months down the line, people became sensitive enough not to start brawls and drink during the sessions. Gradually, Afsana was joined by other like-minded aware citizens who wanted to see the change and decided to bring the change.

“I received an amazing response from youngsters, specifical ones with regular jobs. They were very zealous about devoting some of their time to give back something to the society. Later on, various retired persons came on board with us. This was one engagement where they could do their bit to give back to the society instead of sitting ideally infront of the television,” Afsana added.

Pehchaan now is a three-year-old organisation which is creating a pan-Indian presence with due course of time. Pehchan has four centres in Bihar, Delhi, Mumbai and looking to expand to more centres in Delhi. This initiative works on the basis of volunteers and has touched many lives in its way. People regularly teach in these street schools, based on the area of their expertise.

Volunteers teaching kids.

Impact created

“The core idea was to create more sensitive individuals and focusing on their formative years. These children more often than not lack the needed guidance in the course of life. They lack the ability to differentiate between which is right and which is wrong. Their parents are often unable to guide them, like we have been privileged enough to get,” she said. These children, apart from being given the needed support in case of studies are often counselled in their life problems. They find a confidant in the teachers and share their thoughts and problems.

“We are trying to interact with them as friends, keeping everything aside. We staunchly believe that this approach can bring about a change,” Afsana said as determination resonated through her voice.

Her approach primarily negates the essence of class-conflict. The approach of culmination, inclusion and accommodation does not create a broad division and categorisation among the society and treating them equal to the privileged section doesn’t leave them writhing in the agony of being branded as the ‘have-nots’.

In this context, she narrated the incident of Dharmendra Ra Singh, a 6 year-old tiny tot who lost his mother at 4 and his father was suffering from TB. “I had rescued him from being sold off at ten thousand rupees. His father had immense confidence in me and had said, ‘Teacher will do whatever she thinks is best for my son’. Later, he was enrolled in a hostel and the next day his father passed away. Today, on paper, I am his legal guardian. The confidence in his father’s voice has kept me moving inspite of the regular challenges we face on a daily basis.”

Afsana also recounted the immense dedication of another girl from a learning centre in Bihar. She used to work as a domestic help and started attending classes at the center. “Her dedication is something which we all should learn from. She didn’t quit working as a domestic help but focussed on her studies as well.”

“If we could atleast give two hours to the kids, for ten hours at a stretch, we can ensure that the next generation is going to harbour a different mentality. These children will grow up to be better human beings and more sensitive ones. We need to put in the needed efforts to ensure a better future for these children.”

The Logical Indian community wholeheartedly applauds the efforts taken up by Afsana and her team at Pehchan. Her efforts to ensure a better life path to these children, by fighting against all odds, is an inspiration for all of us.

With #MySocialResponsibility, we aim to bring you more inspiring stories of individuals and organisations across the globe. If you also know about any changemakers, share their story at
[email protected] and we'll spread the word.

Meet The Man Who Is Helping Mumbai Street Kids Enrol In Schools

Partner Story

Even at 76, Pradip Burman, the zestful chairman of Mobius Foundation radiates a contagious enthusiasm when he is talking about sustainability. The environmental crusader, better known to many as the great-grandson of Dabur founder Dr S.K.Burman, has devoted substantial attention towards promoting the concept of sustainability in all aspects of life. He refuses to conform to the convenience and comfort in today’s world which ultimately adds on to the adverse effects of climate change.

Talking to The Logical Indian, Burman emphasised why sustainability as a concept is indispensable for us. “We ought to be aware of what lies ahead of us. Soon we will finish the oil, iron, tin, and coal, and our next generations will be left with nothing. Recycling, banning plastics, stop felling trees for paper… This should become a part of everyone’s lifestyle,” he urges.

Mr Burman watering a sapling at the tree plantation drive organised by his non-profit Mobius Foundation

Traditional wisdom and modern research

A mechanical engineer from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA, Burman had always nurtured a keen interest in helping the society, as evident from his graduation project of designing a sonic aid for the visually challenged, which detected obstacles in the way using ultrasonic wave signals.

As an executive for the nature-centric company Dabur, Burman has always opted for natural alternatives to solve his everyday problems like taking Ayurvedic medicine to cure his Arthritis. He later launched the veterinary wing for Dabur – Ayurvet – which provides nature-friendly solutions for animal health care.

A patron of the ancient scientific wisdom of India, Burman always hailed the confluence of “traditional knowledge and modern research”, which he advocated as the Ayurvet motto.

Ayurvet is one of the best ventures by Mr Burman

As part of the CSR initiative of Dabur, Pradip Burman founded SUNDESH (Sustainable Development Society) which has been tirelessly working for last 25 years in remote villages for uplifting the rural communities in an environmentally sustainable way.

An advocate of sustainability

Burman believes that sustainability is the indispensable mantra for the world at present. Due to uncontrolled utilisation of the planet’s resources by human beings, the world today stands at a juncture of destabilisation. Today the human race has reached the pinnacle of progress but the advancement is happening in a very unsustainable manner.

Through energy-efficient use of everyday essentials like transport, communication, altered habits of diet, clothing and daily living, some crusaders of sustainability try to reduce their carbon footprint. Pradip Burman’s Mobius Foundation is one of the forerunners toward sustainability goals.

Mobius Foundation aims to change the sustainability dynamics

In 2015, Burman paved the way for the start of Mobius Foundation, focused on sustainability. Named after 18th-century German mathematician August Ferdinand Mobius, the famous Mobius strip has an important philosophical significance. The extraordinary shape symbolises balance and union.

Similar is the essence of Mobius Foundation which wishes to enhance the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” principle to a widespread basis in India, helping generations to come.

Founder Pradip Burman wishes to achieve notable development in education, population stabilisation and renewable energy projects.

A dream school in the making

At Coorg, Pradip Burman’s Mobius Foundation is constructing the World Environment School, Coorg (WESc) where the curriculum will surpass the boundaries of books and classrooms, with a special focus on hands-on learning in close collaboration with the environment. Amidst the pristine natural beauty of Coorg, the school will nurture young minds to grow up into future green leaders. As of now, the school will be open to teenagers, welcoming students from standards 6 to 12.

Needless to say, World Environment School will be the first-of-its-kind not only in India but also in entire South Asia. The school is expected to start from March 2020.

The school promises to nurture the responsible behaviour of citizens of our future.

The Sustainability Conference of 2019

In 2019, the Mobius Foundation has planned an international conference, on the lines of the celebrated earth summits over the past decade. The 2019 International Conference on Sustainability Education (ICSE 2019) aims to bring together environmental activists, practitioners of sustainable development as well as climate change experts to help develop a sustainability-focused curriculum.

It is surmised that the conference will give a platform to innovative concepts of Sustainability Education including an essential change in the existing education system ensuring a wholesome personal development for a student.

The Sustainability crusader

The Mobius founder strongly believes that it is high time to sprout sustainability awareness among a society drowning in consumerism and unknowingly doing irreparable harm to the planet, every second. The best way to achieve this goal is through education which is available to all. At present, the education system is predominantly career-oriented, making the learners a victim of materialism, and thus, their dreams are also outlined in those colours.

Living beyond the limits

When asked about his wish to attain the age of hundred, he strongly asserts that more than becoming a centurion, he wishes his life and work continue to better the society even in his absence. “I have lived my life. I wish that whatever I start before I go, will continue – for the betterment of my country,” says Mr Pradip Burman.

He is also a trustee of the Climate Reality Project – India (affiliated to Mr. Al Gore of the Climate Reality Project Foundation, USA). Climate Reality Project, India, has been actively engaged igniting the spark and spreading the message of climate change amongst educators, policy makers and civil society. The India branch looks after more than 500 trained Climate Leaders, and more than 900 volunteers spread all over the country.

In his journey, Pradip Burman has been a beacon of hope for millions, motivating many to join the movement for sustainability. We wish he continues his tireless efforts for promoting sustainability awareness and inspire generations to come.